Variable-speed rolling mill



23 Aug 1927 D. A. KEATING vARIABLL SPEED ROLLING MILL Filed NOV. 27. 1925 @Nam y ATTORNEYS.

Patented Agg. 23, 1927.

UNITED STATE-s DANIEL A. KEATING, F BRIDEGPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB v'150 THE AMERICAN TUIBE AND STAHPING C0., OF BBIDGEPOBT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION '0F CONNECTICUT.

Application med November 27, 192.5. Serial No. 71,820.

The present invention relates to a variable speed drive for rolling mills, particularly for high speed Belgian train mills, all object being to provide. driving means adapted,l vWithout the use of additional -or substituted arts, to' effect variable speed of the rolls Wit a constant motor drive. Heretofore it has been the custom to drive a series of meshing superimposed gears from'` the prime mover or motor dr1ve, and connect these gears directly to the rolls, so that in order to vary the speed it was necessar to replace such gearing with lgears of` di ferent size, with the consequent delay` in the operation of the mill.

It is proposed, in the present embodiment of the invention, to provide change speed means by which the speed of the rolls may be quickly changed with facility, and without appreciable delay-in the operation of the mill. A` further object is to provide such means which may be readily incororated in existing t pes of mills.

With the above an other objects in view, Zran'embodiment of the invention isshown in the accompanying drawings, and' this embodiment will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be inally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 isa front elevation of a rolling. mill, according tothe present embodiment' at one end of the base 10, its shaft'35 being connected by a couplin 36 to a spindle shaft L 37 journaled in suita le bearing supports of the invention;

Fig. 2 1s a vertical sectional view, enlared, ofthe change speed gears employed; an a Fig. 3 is a front elevation thereof, enlarged. p l

Similar reference characters indicate .corresponding parts' throughout the several ligures of the drawings.

Referrin tothe drawings` the: rolling mill, accor ing to the present embodiment e5 of the invent-ion, com rises a base or foundation 10 provided with la. longitudinal pit 11, at each side of which there are arranged arallel tracks 12 and' 13,`u n which the aligned gear and roll .stan -14 are 'sup'- 50 'ported for longitudinal adjustment.- These stands, 'as shown in Fig. 2, have base portions 15 adapted to slidably seat upon the tracks 12 and 13, and vertically grooved uprights in which the bearing chocks-16 VARIABLE-PEED ROLLING. HILL.

'wabbler ends 21 being connected by means driven directly by the motor. According to gears 30, 31 and, 32, the intermediate gear PATENT o FFlcE.

are engaged for vertical disengaging movement, andare retained in fixed relation b a pressure screw 17 in the top of the stan The upper chock 16'* is removable laterally upon disengagement of the retaining clips 18.V y

In a mill of this type a series of sets of rolls are arranged end to end in the stands and are coupled together, lthe illustration showing two such sets of rolls 19 and.20 comprising three rolls each, their projecting of spindles 22 and coupling bosses 23, 'sol that the several sets of rolls are simultaneously rotated, one from the other.

In the usual practice a single set of gears is provided for the rolls, these gears being the-present' invention two sets of gears are provided, the set adjacent the rolls 19 comprising three equal diameter superimposed lgears 24, 25 and 26 of the herring bone type,

:wing-their wabbler ends 27 connectedat one side b spindles 28 and couplings 29 to the wab ler ends of the respective rolls. Thev second set of gears comprises three 31 being of greater diameter, while thegears 30 and 32`are of equal diameter, these gears adapted to be driven directly by the motor drive, and in turn to drive the roll driving gears 24, 25 and 26.

The motor 33 is mounted upon a stand 34 38 and 39 inv substantial axial alignment vided at its .inner end with a coupling head 40. This head 40 is `connected by a spindle 41 and coupling 42 to the wabbler endA 43 of the gear 31. ,A indle 44 having cou lings 45 and 46 at its ends is adapte to interchangeablyand selectively .connected betweenthe wabblerfend's 47, 48 and 49 of the respective gears 30, 31 and 32 and the opposed wabbler ends 50, 51 and 52 of the gears 24, 25 and 26, and by vsuch selective mterchange to effect different drivmg there rolls.

Thus as illustrated ,the large ar 31 is driven directly from the `motor, t e smaller Y, between the motor drive and the gearl 32 is driven at greater speed by the gear 31, and said gear 32 in turn drives the gears 24, 25 and 26 at such relatively greater speed. By coupling the spindle 44 between 5 the Wabblei ends 48 and 51 of the gears v3l ci llld il SIlliniflv'llljthi'OU gli i ve s pro vi d ed attiie saine speed as the motor drive.

By `reyeijsiiigthe positions ot' the gears 31 and Y' driving the small gear 32 directly from the lo motor drive and driving the roll driving gears through the large gear- 31, said` roll driving gears are driven at relatively slower speed than the motor drive. It will be un,

dersttuid-tliat the upper gear d() may it de sii'ed be oie larger diameter than the gear 3l,

so' that tvlieielatively sioiver roll driving Vspeed may be' provided by ceupiiig such shown, however, it is of equal diameter to 20 the gear 32 and may be interchangeably operated therewith for the purpose of equally di tribiiting vcai.V f

yferred and' satisfactoryembodiment 25 4iiiveifition, but it'ivill'he obvious that changes may be made therein', within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined inthe appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, .what

30 I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat- .ent is 1. In a'rolling mill drive, a plurality of superimposed rolls, gearing for driving said rolls, a plurality of different diameter .mesh- 3 ing gears, a motor drive connected to said gears at one side, and means for connecting W501i@ 0f .Said gears, at one -tacliable couplingbetween*oneotsaidV lastVV mentioned.wearsaarid-fonelfefssaid VVitirst Ainen- Y Y to lany one of said gears to said'roll driving gearing. l

2. In a rolling mill drive a plurality of superimposed rolls, a plurality of superim- 4o nosed meshing fears connected to said re-' i, h

eter meshing gears, a motor drive connected to saitlegears atY-onesidcmaiid va.detaenablew Wwf* eeupliiigbetween one oiisaid last ii'ieiitioned i gears and one of said first mentioned gears. 8. Ina i'olling mill -drivea plurality` of superimposed rolls, a plurality of superimposed meshing gears connected to ,said respective rellena plurality etdiii'erent diametery meshing gears, a motor drive connected.

side, and a ,de-

tioncd gears.

4. In a iollingmill drive. a plurality of rolls. gearing for driving said rolls, a pluraiiyroti'iireronr diameter imesmnwrrge'ars,

a motor drive connected tek said gears, and means Yfor selectively. connecting said gears i to said roll driving gearing.

5. In a driving mechanism for a rolling mill, gearing for driving the rolls et the mill, a plurality of different diameter meshing gears,-a motor driveconnected to said gears,

and means for connecting anyone'of said gears to said roll driving gearing.

Signed at Bridgeport in the county of Fairfield' and State of Connecticutl this 14th' .day of November A. D. 1925.

DANIEL A. KEATING. 

